Catafalque



Aug- 10, 1943 I w. 1 RIPLEY 2,326,565

CATAFALQUES Filed July '7, 1942 J 1 wen/H2012;

. 35 and 36 at their adjacent ends.

y Patented ug. 10, 1943 CATAFALQUE Walter L. Ripley, Strasburg, Va., assigner to Draperies, Incorporated, Strasburg, Va., a corporation of Virginia.

- :applicaties my 7,. 19a, serai Ne. 450,04;

1 cieim. (ci. 24a-166) This invention relates to catafalques and to ornamental backgrounds therefor, the said invention including a foldable base or-support which Y can be retracted in area to hold small caskets or extended for holding or supporting large caskets; Y

and it is furthermore an object of the invention to provide a support of this character which can be collapsed or folded to occupy comparatively little space for transporting and storage.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a device having advantages in points of sim-` plicity and inexpensive structure.

With the foregoing and other objects in view,

the invention consists in the details of construction, and in the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing forme ing part of this application, wherein like characters denote corresponding parts in the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of the foldable catafalque set up for supporting a large casket; f

Figure 2 illustrates a perspectivey View of the catafalque set up for supporting a small casket; Figure 3 illustrates a sectional View on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2; j

Figure 4 illustrates a View in end elevation of the nested sections of the catafalque;

Figure 5 illustrates a sectional View ,ofV fragments of panels of the catafalque with parts in interengaging positions to maintain a rigidityland stability of the structure; and

Figure 6 illustrates a sectional View on the line 5 6 of Fig. 5. L i

In the drawing it is shown that the foldable catafalquescornprises a plurality of panels 29, 370,

3i, 32, 33 and 34, hinged together in sequence. so that the panels may be folded as shown in Fig.

i to occupy comparatively little space for transportation or storage. The end panels are hinged to the next succeeding panels by hinges, such as Y The leaves of the hinges are of such length as. to permit the end panels to stand at right angles to the panelsV to which they .are hinged so that the upper surfaces of the several panels will act as supports for a casket. The panels may be folded, as inFig.

2, to form a short catafalque for the support of shorter coffins or Gaskets. ln order that the Ystructure formed by the panels when set up for use may be Vsturdy,upper or top panels3l and 38 may be hinged to the panels 29 and 3d, respectively, by hinges such `as 39, to form the top of` the catafalque.

1 but it is the same arrangement as that shownV whereV the panel 3l is connected to the panel 29 in said Fig. 1.1' It' is shown that the edgethereof opposite the hinge` has an angularly disposed v Y plate llil attached to itfthe angularly disposed portion of which fits into a spaceformed in an engaging panel, it being shown that a plate 4l is secured to the panel'and that the angularly disposed portion 42 ofthe plate 43 extends downwardly into engagement with the inner surface of the said plate 4| The panels s1 and sa have their hinges se secured to a vertically disposed panel nearthe top thereof, and the said panels swing vertically from Y the position in which they are shown inl Fig. 1

so that they can assume horizontal positions as they are shown in Figs. 2 and 3, with the ends op# posite the hinges anchoredto the panel opposite that to which they are hinged in shown in Figures 5 and 6,V Y

In forming the catafalque as shown kin Figure 2, the panels 3 l and 32 remain as they are shownY in Fig. 1 and the panel 33 with the panel 34 in the positions they are shown in -said Fig. lare swung horizontally so that the panel 33 is at right angles to the panel 32, and the panel 34 then as-V sumes a position parallel with the panel 32 forrning one-half of the support as it is shownin Fig'f ure 2. The panel 3B is also swung atan angle" to the panel 3| and the panel 28 then is parallel-fv with the panel`r3l forming the other half of thev f support as shown in Figure 2; When in theV foregoing positions, the panels 3l and 38 `are, swung vertically on their hinges and the interlocking latches illustrated in section, Figs`..3, 5

and 6, are suitably interlocked so that structure results.

VThe sections of the catafalque may be providedV a rigid vwith an ornamental drapery A which will obscure the structuralfeatures of the catafalque and enhance the appearancev of the setting when a casket rests on the catafalqua It is obvious that the drapery may be` appropriatev for the color of the casket and it maybe removablysecured in place in known manner, as by hooks or other fastenings from which the draperywill be suspended. f A 'f Iclaim: s

A casket supporting device comprising :a plu- I rality of panels successively hinged together to swing horizontally and having end panels, panels hinged toand located on the inner side of said'VVVA Y end panels for swinging vertically, latches on the The hinges which connectV the j top panel 38 to the panel 34 are not shown in Fig.

free ends of the vertically swinging panels, latching elements on the intermediate panels coacting with the latches of the vertically swinging panels for holding the panels rigid when adjusted to form `a casket support, and drapery covering the said panels.

WALTER L. RIPLEY.

a manner 

